Homicide charged in area death

A Moscow man has been arrested and charged in the death of another man following a traffic accident last weekend.

Comment

Wayne Independent - Honesdale, PA

Writer

Posted Feb. 28, 2013 at 9:00 AM
Updated Feb 28, 2013 at 9:35 AM

Posted Feb. 28, 2013 at 9:00 AM
Updated Feb 28, 2013 at 9:35 AM

MOSCOW

— A Moscow man has been arrested and charged in the death of another man following a traffic accident last weekend.

Matthew Gajdys, 32, has been charged by the Pennsylvania State Police for homicide by vehicle and vehicle turning left.

He was arrested on Tuesday and taken to the Lackawanna County Processing Center for an arraignment.

On Feb. 23, at around 1:35 a.m., police said Gajdys was driving a Jeep Cherokee southbound on State Road 435 in Clifton Township in Lackawanna County near the Wayne County border.

In the northbound lane was a Freightliner semi-truck being driven by William A. Frankenfield, Jr., 65, of Stroudsburg.

Police said that upon approaching Phillips Road, Gajdys turned left into the path of the Freightliner. The Jeep was struck and rolled, striking several utility poles.

The vehicle came to rest on its roof with Michael A. Evans, 33, also of Moscow, pinned underneath. Evans was a passenger in the Jeep.

On Monday, an autopsy was conducted on Evans by Dr. Gary Ross of the Lackawanna County Coroner's Office. Ross determined that Evans sustained multiple traumatic injuries to his right side consistent with him being a passenger in the vehicle.

That led to the arrest of Gajdys on Tuesday.

Trooper Ronald Copp was the investigating officer at the scene. He said the driver of the Freightliner sustained moderate injuries, as did Gajdys.

Missing person

State police are asking for information about a missing person.

According to police, on Feb. 16, Benjamin William Scully, 24, of Hawley, was reported missting.

On that day, police said Scully apparently left his residence and was last seen walking on Route 191 north in Honesdale.

Page 2 of 2 - Scully is described as five-feet, nine-inches tall, 180 pounds with brown hair and eyes. He was wearing a black jacket, black jeans, a black winter hat, sneakers and carrying a backpack.

Anyone who may have seen Scully is asked to contact PSP in Honesdale at 570-253-7126.

Trooper Brian Roberts is the investigating officer.

Hit and run

The Honesdale Borough Police are investigating two hit and run crashes.

The first one occurred on Feb. 21 in the Uptown Shell parking lot on North Main Street.

According to Honesdale Borough Police, an unknown vehicle struck a brown Jeep Compass, which was parked legally. The incident occurred sometime between 2 and 3 p.m. The striking vehicle fled the scene.

The second hit and run occurred sometime between Feb. 19 and 20 to a vehicle parked on Riverside Drive.

The vehicle struck was a white Pontiac. It was facing north off the roadway when an unknown vehicle struck the driver’s door and left the scene.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Honesdale Borough Police at 570-253-1900.